Speaking of stockpiling, a few questions

**Pemberleyan** · 03-19-2009, 02:04 PM

I have had trouble getting enough of the food-safe buckets for storing wheat, sugar, etc. and think I just may have to purchase some. I can occasionally pick one up at Publix, but I need many more. I saw some at Lowe's with the #2 and the triangle on the bottom, but they were gray and had a strong chemical odor to me. Of course, they did not come with lids. Anyone know who has the least expensive price of the buckets when ordered on line?

Also, does anyone know the shelf life of popcorn, pasta, black beans, pinto beans?

Is a "Number 10" can one of the large restaurant-sized cans that you occasionally see of pork and beans, for instance?

**jas** · 03-19-2009, 02:36 PM

Originally Posted by Pemberleyan

I have had trouble getting enough of the food-safe buckets for storing wheat, sugar, etc. and think I just may have to purchase some. I can occasionally pick one up at Publix, but I need many more. I saw some at Lowe's with the #2 and the triangle on the bottom, but they were gray and had a strong chemical odor to me. Of course, they did not come with lids. Anyone know who has the least expensive price of the buckets when ordered on line?

Also, does anyone know the shelf life of popcorn, pasta, black beans, pinto beans?

Is a "Number 10" can one of the large restaurant-sized cans that you occasionally see of pork and beans, for instance?

I bought my buckets at tractor supply ccompany. There are white with a black lid. I had to order the lids they didn't have them in stock. Still waiting on them actually, the buckets were 2.50 each and the lids were about the same. No heavy odor.

Are you going to line them with a mylar bag?

If you seal things really good and add extra oxygen absorbers those things should last quite a bit more than a year or two for sure.

Yes the #10 is similar in size to the restaurant size can.

**jas** · 03-19-2009, 02:40 PM

I am packing pasta and popcorn today. First in a ziploc then in a foodsaver bag with an oxygen absorber. Then into a mylar bag that will hold several of the smaller bags and with a larger oxygen absorber. Then when I get the lids to the buckets I will put the mylar bags into it. Probably with another oxygen absorber or two for good measure. That should keep them good for quite awhile.

**Pemberleyan** · 03-19-2009, 03:43 PM

Oh, gosh, I haven't been using these mylar bags or oxygen absorbers. Where do you buy those?

About the tractor supply store, was it the chain, Tractor Supply? I was just in one this week.

**jas** · 03-19-2009, 03:50 PM

Originally Posted by Pemberleyan

Oh, gosh, I haven't been using these mylar bags or oxygen absorbers. Where do you buy those?

About the tractor supply store, was it the chain, Tractor Supply? I was just in one this week.

yes it is a chain of stores. You can buy them from several places. Here are a couple usaemergencysupply.com and honeyvillegrain.

There are some video on youtube about packing these items so that will last.

**craftypam** · 03-19-2009, 03:52 PM

Originally Posted by jas

I bought my buckets at tractor supply ccompany. There are white with a black lid. I had to order the lids they didn't have them in stock. Still waiting on them actually, the buckets were 2.50 each and the lids were about the same. No heavy odor.

Are you going to line them with a mylar bag?

If you seal things really good and add extra oxygen absorbers those things should last quite a bit more than a year or two for sure.

Yes the #10 is similar in size to the restaurant size can.

Where do you get oxygen absorbers? I never heard of them.

Thanks

**imagine** · 03-19-2009, 05:18 PM

Pinto beans shelf life.

My Dad always said "forever" He gave me a 50 pound burlap bag of pinto beans and said "as long as you have beans you'll never go hungry" then he told me "they don't go bad, you understand"

When I was a teenager I ate some pinto beans that my Dad said were older than I was. They were still yummy.

I have heard that the older the beans are the longer you have to cook them. I don't know Dad always just cooked them until they were done. No timer or anything.

**thefrug** · 03-19-2009, 05:51 PM

beans and rice= complete protein aren't they? I think thats what they said in home ec ( when the dinosaurs roamed)

**jas** · 03-19-2009, 06:35 PM

:QUOTE=thefrug;1140756]beans and rice= complete protein aren't they? I think thats what they said in home ec ( when the dinosaurs roamed)[/QUOTE]

that's what I've always heard

**Grainlady** · 03-20-2009, 06:42 AM

Originally Posted by Pemberleyan

I have had trouble getting enough of the food-safe buckets for storing wheat, sugar, etc. and think I just may have to purchase some. I can occasionally pick one up at Publix, but I need many more. I saw some at Lowe's with the #2 and the triangle on the bottom, but they were gray and had a strong chemical odor to me. Of course, they did not come with lids. Anyone know who has the least expensive price of the buckets when ordered on line?

Also, does anyone know the shelf life of popcorn, pasta, black beans, pinto beans?

Is a "Number 10" can one of the large restaurant-sized cans that you occasionally see of pork and beans, for instance?

If you check the bottom of buckets/lids, if there is an embossed goblet with a fork next to it, it's food grade plastic. You might check restaurant supply stores in your area as a source. I also use large food storage containers with air-tight lids from a restaurant supply store - it doesn't have to be a bucket. You can get food grade buckets and other storage equipment from Emergency Essentials - http://beprepared.com/Default.asp?bhcd2=1237544519

Here's a good site for storage information:

Prudent Food Storage: Questions and Answers
http://survivalacres.com/information...storagefaq.pdf

Yep, a #10 is a large restaurant size can (13 cup capacity). You'll find all kinds of foods in that size at Emergency Essentials web site (link above).

Here's a list of foods with long storage times (when properly prepared): http://providentliving.org/content/d...4224-1,00.html